Chapter 3

Asher's POV

Three days before the wedding, Lucinda's grandmother, Mrs. Walker Sr., invited both families to her home for a meal. When I arrived, Jace was sitting next to Lucinda, helping her make ravioli.

There was a little flour on his cheek, and Lucinda reached up to wipe it away. But when she saw me walk in, she quickly pulled her hand back. "What took you so long?"

"I had to pick something up." I placed a wooden box on the table. Inside was the recipe book my mother had left behind, along with the final recipe to give the pastry chef on the day of the wedding.

Mrs. Walker Sr. opened it and looked inside. "Your mother made the best puddings. Once you and Luce get married, this recipe can be passed down from generation to generation."

Lucinda remained silent.

Yet, Jace leaned over and asked, "Asher, could I take a look?"

I closed the wooden box. "No."

His outstretched hand stopped midair, and he gave an awkward smile.

Lucinda glared at me and said, "It's just a recipe book."

"It belonged to my mother."

"I know. Jace is just curious," she said,

I retorted, "Then let him stay curious."

The atmosphere at the dinner table turned cold.

Lucinda's father, Joseph Walker, put down his cutlery. "Asher, Jace is Luce's colleague and one of the groomsmen. You'll be seeing each other all the time from now on, so don't make things awkward between you."

I looked up and asked, "Who asked him to be a groomsman?"

Jace gently bit his lip.

Lucinda answered for him. "I did."

"I don't approve of this."

"We're one groomsman short, and there's no time to find someone else," she explained.

"My friend can do it."

She said, "I don't know your friend. It'll be hard to coordinate things at the wedding."

I scoffed, "So, the groomsman at my own wedding has to be someone you know."

Lucinda's expression turned grim. "Do you really have to say this in front of my grandma?"

Mrs. Walker Sr. was about to intervene when the housekeeper came over with some freshly made affogato. "The affogato is ready. I'll put it on the table first."

Jace hurriedly stood up and said, "I'll pass them around."

He reached out to take the cups from the housekeeper, but his elbow bumped the wooden box at the edge of the table.

The cup tipped over, and its contents spilled out.

I shot to my feet. The affogato spilled all over the table, and the recipe book was soaked in hot espresso, its pages quickly wrinkling into a soggy mess. I quickly reached out to grab it.

But Lucinda grabbed my arm. "Don't burn yourself."

I pulled my hand free and used a pair of tongs to lift the recipe book. The ink quickly bled in the espresso. The instructions my mother had written down, stroke by stroke, blurred into black smudges before my eyes.

Jace stood to the side, looking completely at a loss. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I was only trying to pass the food around. I didn't expect to spill the affogato."

I stormed up to him, clutching the soaked recipe book.

Seeing this, Lucinda immediately stepped in front of him. "Enough. He already apologized."

I glared at her. "Scram."

"Asher, what's done is done. Berating him now won't restore the book."

"So?"

"I'll have someone make another copy."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. "The handwriting is gone. How exactly are you going to have it copied?"

Lucinda fell silent for a moment. Then, she said, "There are so many recipes online. I'll just find one that's close enough."

One that was close enough, she had said. To her, the last thing my mother had left behind was nothing more than something you could find online.

Jace's eyes welled up with tears, and he cried, "Asher, if you're angry, just hit me."

He grabbed my hand and pulled it toward his face.

But when I yanked my hand away, he stumbled backward, his lower back hitting the edge of the dining table behind him.

Lucinda immediately caught him. "Jace!"

He clutched his lower back, his face going pale with pain.

Lucinda turned back to glare at me coldly. "Asher, are you happy now?"

"I didn't push him."

"Everyone saw it. Are you still going to deny it?"

Mrs. Walker Sr. said hesitantly, "It seems that Asher only pulled his hand away—"

"Grandma, don't defend him." Lucinda helped Jace up and quickly walked out with him.

Then, she stopped at the door. "Let's not see each other again before the wedding. That way, you won't throw another tantrum."

After the door closed, I looked down and opened the recipe book. The writing on the last page was still barely legible. My mother had written this when she was seriously ill. "Asher, don't always wait for others. Some paths are yours to walk alone."

I carefully tore that page out.

The sound of a car starting suddenly came from outside. Through the window, I saw Lucinda fasten Jace's seat belt for him, then lean down to touch his injured back.

The wooden box on the table was still open. Inside was a prenuptial agreement. Lucinda had already signed it, yet she hadn't noticed that my signature was missing.